Chabad’s gone to Iceland

Reykjavik, the last European capital city without a synagogue, is to gain its first rabbi.

Rabbi Avi Feldman will be moving to the Icelandic capital to establish the Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish Centre of Iceland.

As head of the Reykjavik Chabad congregation, the Brooklyn-born rabbi will oversee a community of 250 Jews in a country where circumcision could soon be outlawed and the ritual slaughter of animals is illegal.

Rabbi Feldman and his Swedish wife, Mushky, previously visited Iceland in December to organise a Chanukah celebration. They hope to introduce a synagogue, cheder and mikvah to Reykjavik.

Rabbi Feldman described his appointment as “a challenge”, but emphasised the “tremendous opportunity to set up a living breathing community. We want to focus on the Jewish needs of everyone who lives, works or travels to Iceland”.

Mrs Feldman said: “On social media, I kept seeing people traveling to Iceland. I told my husband that we should start looking at it more seriously.”

Mike Levin, a volunteer from Chicago who currently runs the Icelandic community, said: “If someone puts their full-time concentration on Jewish life in Iceland, they can do a lot of things here.”

The Feldmans will travel to Iceland next month in time to prepare for Pesach before settling permanently later in the year.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

The JC offers several email newsletters to keep you updated with our news, features and comment. Take your pick from a daily update, the Editor's weekly selections, politics and sport — or choose all four.